TripIt and Avis: Making Travel About the Traveler, Again

In 2009 we started talking about the concept of a “traveler-centric future.” What we meant was that the needs of travelers would increasingly drive innovation because fundamental technology trends like mobility, social networking, and open data offered powerful new opportunities to make life easier for travelers.

Well a lot has happened since then. Especially lately; we’ve witnessed a juxtaposition of nostalgia and innovation. Within the same week that Facebook broke new ground for the social web at F8, we were swept back to the Golden Age of travel with the premiere of “Pan Am.”

Today, I’m very excited to tell you that we’ve partnered with Avis to bring travelers the best of both worlds. The Jet Age meets the Information Age.

Together, TripIt and Avis are supercharging car rental reservations by putting your itineraries to work for you. By connecting your accounts, you’ll be able to make new car reservations in just a few simple clicks. And in the future, Avis will be able to anticipate your need for a car and present you with options without requiring any searching at all. Surely this is how they would have rented spacecraft on the Jetsons.

Our goal is to make your journey go smoother. Using itinerary data, we’ll remind you when you haven’t booked a car yet, and Avis will know if you’re running late.

Promotion open only to residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are at least 18 (or the age of majority in entrant’s state of residence). Promotion starts 12:01 AM PT on October 3, 2011 and ends 11:59 PM PT on November 27, 2011. Winner will be selected by random drawing on December 6, 2011 and notified by phone and/or e-mail by December 17, 2011. Prize: (1 winner): one 14 day Avis car rental (luxury, passenger van, or convertible) (approx. retail value: $2876 and one 12-month subscription to online TripIt Pro (approx. retail value: $49). Combined approx. retail value of all prizes: $9,054. To enter, follow the directions in Section 7 of the Official Rules at www.tripit.com/promotions/rules_avissweepstakes(“Rules”) to enter online (via www.tripit.com/promotions/avissweepstakes) or by mail. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Promotion subject to Rules, see Rules at www.tripit.com/promotions/rules_avissweepstakesfor full details. Sponsor: Concur Technologies, Inc., 500 Treat Ave., Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94110.